Tag Archives: Calls to Action in Content Marketing

Every piece of marketing content you write—every blog post, every email, and every Web page—should have a clear call to action. The CTA serves a simple yet pivotal role in telling your readers what steps they should be taking next—whether that means buying a product, calling for an appointment, signing up for your email list, or simply sharing your post with their friends.

But not all CTAs are created equal—and if your calls aren’t generating action, it could be for any number of reasons. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide.

You forgot the action part.

This is more common than you might think. It’s common to assume that the CTA is any short, snappy wrap-up to your content—but the goal of the CTA isn’t to summarize; it’s to encourage your readers to take the next step. So if your CTA doesn’t include a clear verb, calling your readers to action, then it’s simply not doing its job.

Some examples of basic, effective CTAs:

Call today to schedule your appointment.

Download our free e-book right now.

Sign up for additional updates.

Notice that each one starts with a verb, and each one leaves little doubt as to what you want the reader to do next.

Your verb choice is weak.

Speaking of verbs, it’s important to pick some really evocative ones—yet all too often, we see CTAs written with bland, boring verbs like these:

Enter

Continue

Click here

Though these technically qualify as action words, they’re hardly motivating. Aim for something a little more exciting! Some of our favorite CTA verbs include discover, explore, and start your journey—e.g.:

Get one-on-one content marketing assistance when you call one of our consultants.

Increase your sales numbers by up to 20 percent when you download our program.

Your CTA is too long.

Finally, remember that the hallmark of a strong CTA is that it’s short and snappy. You don’t need to rehash your entire sales pitch; just get to the point. There’s no reason for your CTA to be any longer than one to two sentences, clearly laying out the invitation and the benefits, then moving on.

If you invest your time and talent into writing a brochure for your company’s products or services, you’re unlikely to forget the call to action. In many ways, the entire brochure is a call to action—an invitation for the reader to learn more about your company, and ultimately to pick up the phone to order a product. Failing to include a concise exhortation—“Call us today for more information”; “Visit us on Facebook to learn more about our products”; “Schedule your free consultation today!”—is an oversight you’d be unlikely to make.

Yet, there are many business owners who forget the call to action in their content marketing efforts. They pen blog posts but forget to invite the reader to learn more. This is even truer of curated content; as business owners share an article or a Facebook post from an outside source, it often does not occur to them to add their own brief, compelling call to action.

The call to action is important, though—yes, even in content marketing. While the point of content marketing is to tell your brand’s story in a way that is not overly salesy, there is still much to be said for offering a simple reminder: “We are here to help, we can benefit you greatly, and this is where you can reach us.”

The question—as ever—is how. How can you write a strong content marketing CTA—even on curated content:

Before you write your call to action—in fact, before you write any content at all—consider your goal. The call to action should always be focused on only one goal—to get people to download an e-Book, to call for a consultation, or to share the article on social media. Eliminate the burden of choice, which makes action less likely, and focus the call to action on one specific goal.

Consider who is going to be reading the content, and where in the sales cycle he or she is likely to be. For someone who is new to your brand, for instance, the best call to action is going to be one directing the reader to obtain more information via the website, or to call for a consultation—not to purchase your #1 most expensive product.

Keep things short, because the longer your call to action, the less likely it will be to generate results. There should never be more than one link, and there should be as few words as possible. Don’t bother with “Click here to learn more,” just say, “Learn more today,” and include the link—short and simple.

As for including a call to action on curated content, there is plenty you can do to encourage engagement. Say that you share a Huffington Post article that offers 5 Tips, 10 Advantages, or some other kind of list; your call to action might be: “What would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments section!” You can also offer something as simple as: “Do you agree or disagree? Let us know!”

The team at Grammar Chic is ready and eager to help you as you formulate strong content—and strong calls to action. Learn more: Visit www.grammarchic.net or call 803-831-7444.

Grammar Chic, Inc. is a full-service content writing company that publishes The Red Ink, a collection of informative articles pertaining to professional editing and writing services, writing and editing techniques, and brand management tactics. For more information about Grammar Chic, Inc. and the services that it offers visit www.grammarchic.net.